About

What is the Stack? The stack is the zone in MTG where spells and abilities exist before they resolve. Think of it like the “waiting room” for Magic effects. A spell’s effects don’t immediately happen when you cast it; they go on the stack, where they wait for players to respond. If someone does respond, the new spell or ability goes on the stack above the previous one, forming a literal stack of spells and abilities.

The stack reinforces the priority system that governs the flow of the game. Turns progress by passing priority between players, and an empty stack usually determines when the next step or phase starts. The stack also gives players the means to interact before effects take place. It allows a Giant Growth to save your creature from an opposing Lightning Bolt.

The 1999 Sixth Edition rules overhaul introduced “the stack.” This replaced the convoluted “batching” system that was previously used to resolve spells. It also obsoleted the interrupt card type. Interrupts took precedence over other spells and abilities in a batch, but the new “stack” technology made them identical to instants, removing interrupts entirely.